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Takeaways from former Trump administration counterterrorism chief Joe Kent’s extensive interview

By Samantha Waldenberg, CNN (CNN) — Former US National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent sat Wednesday for an extensive interview with former Fox News host and right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, his first public comments since he resigned from his post, citing concerns about the war with Iran. The interview lasted more than one hour and

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Frustrated Democrats walk out of tense Epstein briefing with Bondi and Blanche on Capitol Hill

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Annie Grayer and Kaitlan Collins, CNN (CNN) — When Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche arrived on Capitol Hill Wednesday afternoon, they hoped to boost members’ confidence on their handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Within half an hour, Democratic lawmakers had walked out. The closed-door briefing for

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Mullin under microscope by Senate colleagues over temperament, stolen valor and ICE in tense DHS confirmation hearing

By Morgan Rimmer, CNN (CNN) — A typically friendly setting for one of their own turned tense on Capitol Hill Wednesday with senators grilling Markwayne Mullin for roughly three hours as he vies to become President Donald Trump’s next Department of Homeland Security chief. Republican Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul cast doubt on whether

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Deputy AG Blanche defends DOJ’s work on Epstein case ahead of closed-door Hill briefing

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN (CNN) — Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and asserted it does not have new evidence to prosecute anyone for crimes related to the convicted sex offender, in an interview released Tuesday. “I’m not trying to defend Epstein. I’m not,” Blanche said

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Juliana Stratton wins Illinois Democratic primary for Senate. She could become the sixth Black woman senator in US history

By Steve Contorno, CNN (CNN) — Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton has won the Democratic primary for an open Senate seat, a stunning rise for a little-known state officer now on a glide path to Washington. If victorious in November, Stratton would become the second Black woman to represent Illinois in the Senate – and

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Judge mocks White House East Wing ‘alteration’ as a ‘brazen interpretation of the laws of vocabulary’

By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — The Trump administration’s arguments in defense of the massive White House ballroom project on Tuesday found virtually no purchase before a federal judge, who appears ready to rule that the president skirted the law by undertaking construction without congressional approval. During a testy hearing before senior US

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Gov. Little signs sweeping budget cuts as Democrats blast ‘self-inflicted’ revenue shortfall

Governor Brad Little signed the 2026 Budget Rescissions Act into law late Monday night without fanfare, narrowly beating a deadline to approve the sweeping budget cuts detailed in Senate Bill 1331. The legislation imposes a 4% reduction across nearly all state agency budgets.

“Idahoans expect their state government to operate efficiently and effectively, and the balanced budget we approved for the current fiscal year delivers on both fronts,” Little said in a statement.

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Joe Kent

‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation’: Trump-appointed intelligence official resigns over Iran war

CNN By Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — A senior US intelligence official appointed by President Donald Trump abruptly announced he is stepping down from his post on Tuesday, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran. Joe Kent, who had been serving as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, posted his resignation letter on

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‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation’: Trump-appointed intelligence official resigns over Iran war

By Zachary Cohen, CNN (CNN) — A senior US intelligence official appointed by President Donald Trump abruptly announced he is stepping down from his post on Tuesday, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran. Joe Kent, who had been serving as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, posted his resignation letter on X,

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The US Supreme Court is seen on February 20

Supreme Court to review Trump’s effort to end deportation protections for migrants from Haiti and Syria

By John Fritze, Tami Luhby, CNN (CNN) — The Supreme Court announced Monday it will decide whether President Donald Trump can terminate temporary deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals, agreeing to hear arguments next month on an issue that has been central to the administration’s immigration agenda. The decision came in a

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Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal died on Saturday

Afghan man who served alongside US forces dies after less than a day in ICE custody, family and advocates say

By Michael Williams and Masoud Popalzai, CNN (CNN) — An Afghan man who served alongside US special forces and fled his native country after its takeover by the Taliban died over the weekend shortly after being detained by immigration authorities, according to his family and an advocacy group. Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal died on Saturday, less

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A Democratic fight for an Illinois Senate seat is testing the sway of JB Pritzker, pro-crypto forces and anti-ICE messaging

By Arlette Saenz, Steve Contorno, CNN Chicago (CNN) — The retirement of Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin after nearly 30 years in office sparked an expensive three-way Democratic primary that has showcased the party’s divisions over how to confront President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and introduced pro-crypto forces as an influence seeking to shape the midterm

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A view of the Kennedy Center in Washington

Trump administration must provide Kennedy Center renovation plans to board members before key closure vote, judge rules

By Devan Cole, Betsy Klein, CNN (CNN) — A slew of documents related to President Donald Trump’s efforts to close and extensively renovate the Kennedy Center must be turned over to a Democratic congresswoman who sits on the center’s board ahead of a Monday vote on the president’s plan, a federal judge ruled Saturday. US

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Idaho’s top leaders emphasize the economy at Chamber Leadership Session

The state of Idaho’s economy and budget loomed large at a Leadership Session featuring Governor Brad Little, Lt. Governor Scott Bedke and U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson on Friday.

Three of Idaho’s top leaders addressed “5 I’s” – Idaho’s economy, Idaho Launch, Immigration, Irrigation and Iran at a forum hosted by the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber at the Downtown Event Center.

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Trump fundraising email uses photo from soldiers’ dignified transfer and promises ‘private national security briefings’

By Andrew Kaczynski, CNN (CNN) — A fundraising email from President Donald Trump’s political action committee has a provocative pitch: using an image from Saturday’s dignified transfer honoring six fallen US soldiers, it promises access to the president’s “private national security briefings.” The email, sent by Never Surrender, Inc., promotes what it calls a “National

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Republicans release AI deepfake of James Talarico as phony videos proliferate in midterm races

By Daniel Dale, CNN (CNN) — Senate Republicans released an online ad this week in which a real-looking but fake version of a Democratic candidate, fabricated with artificial intelligence, appears to speak directly into the camera for more than a minute. The National Republican Senatorial Committee’s deepfake of James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in the

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Idaho House Committee advances two Bills amending library ‘harmful materials’ law

Two bills that would amend the state’s “harmful materials” library law are heading to the full House.

The House State Affairs Committee passed the bills Thursday. 

Sponsored by Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, and backed by Attorney General Raúl Labrador’s office, the bills would align Idaho’s law with recent federal court rulings. The Children’s School and Library Protection Act, which Idaho lawmakers enacted in 2024, imposes penalties on libraries and schools that don’t restrict material deemed  “harmful” to minors.

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Rescuers respond to deadly tornadoes without tornado-tracking tool because Kristi Noem’s team hasn’t renewed the contract

By Gabe Cohen, CNN (CNN) — As deadly tornadoes tore through the Midwest and Plains last weekend, state and local search-and-rescue crews rushed to the devastated areas to look for survivors. It wasn’t until the teams deployed that they realized they were operating without a critical tornado-tracking tool typically provided by FEMA. That left responders

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Trump administration underestimated Iran war’s impact on Strait of Hormuz

By Zachary Cohen, Phil Mattingly, Kevin Liptak, Kylie Atwood, CNN (CNN) — The Pentagon and National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to US military strikes while planning the ongoing operation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump’s national security team failed to

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5 things to know about Idaho’s school funding debate 

State leaders are nearly two months into the legislative session, and much of the noise still surrounds the state’s budget deficit. Cuts are happening. School leaders and parents are watching. So what’s on the chopping block and what’s not? What factors shape the debate? And what about that big rainy day fund some people keep mentioning?  Here’s a rundown of where things stand — and five takeaways to help clear the smoke.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom says no ‘imminent threat’ to California after FBI memo on possible Iran drone attacks

By Holmes Lybrand, Josh Campbell, CNN (CNN) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday there is no “imminent threat” to the state following reports that federal authorities had alerted state officials of unverified claims by Iranian-affiliated actors desiring to conduct potential drone attacks. The FBI memo sent to local law enforcement and officials in California

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US strike likely hit a school in Iran due to outdated intelligence, sources briefed on initial findings say

By Zachary Cohen, Thomas Bordeaux, Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN (CNN) — The US military accidentally struck an Iranian elementary school, in an attack that state media said killed at least 168 children and 14 teachers, likely due to outdated information about a nearby naval base, according to two sources briefed on the preliminary findings of an

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Homeland Security pushes for access to restricted federal database on child support, employment information for millions

By Priscilla Alvarez, CNN (CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security is seeking to gain access to a trove of federal information that is intended to support the collection of child support payments but could potentially be used for immigration enforcement purposes, according to three sources familiar with the talks who describe the move as

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Richard Kahn

Longtime Epstein accountant testifies behind closed doors for roughly 7 hours in House Oversight probe

By Annie Grayer, Em Steck, CNN (CNN) — Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant testified his relationship with the late convicted sex offender “was strictly on a professional level,” as he faced investigators on Capitol Hill for roughly seven hours as part of the House Oversight Committee’s probe. Richard Kahn told lawmakers behind closed doors that he

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Pictured is the United States Department of Veteran Affairs headquarters on November 24

VA watchdog finds nearly a million calls from vets seeking care had key tracking data missing

By Brian Todd, CNN (CNN) — The wife of one veteran wanted her husband to be evaluated, fearing his cancer may have spread, and sought a radiology appointment last year with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She made “multiple phone calls that went to voicemail,” last March and received “no follow-up within the promised 24 hours,” according

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House Republicans confront Iran war and gas prices as they struggle to push economic agenda

By Manu Raju, Ellis Kim, CNN DORAL, Florida (CNN) — Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team have been struggling to find consensus behind an election-year agenda to address Americans’ chief concerns over affordability and their cost-of-living. But now they have a new problem: Rising gas prices. After hammering Democrats relentlessly over $5-per-gallon gasoline, a

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Fake explosions, fake missiles, fake troops: AI videos and images of Iran war spread widely on social media

By Daniel Dale, CNN (CNN) — After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, social media was littered with crude fakes that were presented as fresh images of the war but were either photoshopped phonies or mislabeled clips taken from video games, movies, past incidents and unrelated news coverage. Those kinds of old-fashioned fakes are now spreading

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Mamdani walks fine line between his identity and politics in wake of attempted ISIS-inspired attack

By Gloria Pazmino, Katherine Koretski, CNN (CNN) — Three days after an attempted ISIS-inspired terror attack outside his home, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stood in a pre-school classroom on Staten Island to announce expanded childcare highlighting one of the key pillars of his agenda. But Mamdani was peppered with questions about Saturday’s attack,

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Democrat Shawn Harris to face Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller in runoff to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene

By Kathryn Squyres, Arit John, CNN (CNN) — Republican Clay Fuller will face Democrat Shawn Harris in a runoff to replace former GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District. The race to succeed Greene, a former ally turned critic of President Donald Trump, has tested the power of the president’s endorsement –

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Idaho lawmakers want a say over federal grants that could go into medical education

For much of the session, legislators have been haggling over how to have a say over the way Idaho spends $930 million in rural health grants.

A new bill emerged Tuesday morning.

Introduced unanimously in the House Health and Welfare Committee, this bill follows a similar version from the Senate and would create a legislative committee to oversee Idaho’s federal Rural Healthcare Transformation grants. The money could have far-reaching implications — and could factor into Idaho’s medical education debate.

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A Secret Service agent stands in front of framed images of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden's autopen signature

Justice Department’s brewing case against former CIA chief tests its efforts to prosecute Trump foes

By Katelyn Polantz, Hannah Rabinowitz, Evan Perez, CNN (CNN) — Justice Department prosecutors leading an investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan are facing increasing pressure from top Justice officials to bring criminal charges against him after the department has flailed in trying to punish President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies, people briefed on the matter

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Interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin speaks during a press conference on May 13

Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations

By Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — Ed Martin, an outspoken Trump administration official, is facing attorney discipline proceedings in Washington, DC, for a letter he sent to Georgetown Law about its diversity programs, the district’s professional conduct investigator announced on Tuesday. Martin is formally accused of violating his ethical codes as an attorney for telling

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How the special election to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene is testing the power of Trump’s endorsement

By Jeff Zeleny, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump’s sway over the Republican Party faces a fresh test Tuesday with a free-for-all special election in northwest Georgia to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Trump ally-turned-critic who vacated her seat in Congress in January. Clay Fuller, a former prosecutor and Air Force veteran, won Trump’s endorsement

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‘A shell of our former self’: How Trump and Musk’s spending cuts are hampering US government readiness amid the Iran war

By Jeremy Herb, Annie Grayer, Jennifer Hansler, Sean Lyngaas, Gabe Cohen, CNN (CNN) — President Donald Trump began his second term with a promise to cut “billions and billions of dollars” in government spending, empowering Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to eliminate programs and fire workers it deemed wasteful. One year later, cuts to

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